Natural Sugars 101
Cooks are discovering that agave nectar, Indian jaggery and other natural sweeteners have nuanced flavors that white sugar doesn’t; plus, unprocessed sweeteners may be richer in minerals and less likely to cause spikes in blood-sugar levels. Plus, some F&W recipes (right) that use the natural sugars listed below.
Turbinado Sugar
Crunchy, light brown raw sugar that’s good for baking and melting. $13 for 4 lbs; sugarintheraw.com.
Recipe: Berry Brioche Bread Pudding
Muscovado sugar
Moist, richly flavored brown sugar. Look for the India Tree brand. $5.25 for 1 lb; dcimports.com.
Agave nectar
Mild liquid sweetener made from agave plants. $23 for six bottles by Wholesome Sweeteners; amazon.com.
Recipe: Cinnamon-Banana Bread
Jaggery
Earthy cane sugar from India sold in dense clumps for grating. $7 for 7 oz; kalustyans.com.
Sorghum
Mineral-rich syrup made from sorghum grain is great on pancakes. $8 for 6.75 oz; bourbonbarrelfoods.com.
Recipe: Grandma Kirk’s Baked Beans